>All during Ally Week we'll be highlighting stories about allies as part of the Ally Week story contest. We received this story of all-ages, school-wide Ally Week action from the Little Red School House and Elisabeth Irwin High School, an independent school in New York City, NY.

Little Red School House and Elisabeth Irwin High School is an independent school in the West Village section of NYC. It was founded in the late 1920‘s by Elisabeth Irwin. She was committed to encouraging students to take action within their communities and they have been doing so for decades.

When teachers from the Four Year Old class through the High School spoke to students about Ally Week, many students were ready to take matters into their own hands. Students were encouraging their parents to grab an Ally Sticker on their way to work.

First Graders were generating a game plan for what to say when the time came for them to stand up for others. Leading up to Ally Week, our first graders talked about what it means to be an Ally, framing the conversation around what it means to be a friend. Some children push and tease and bully, our teachers explained, and sometimes they hurt other kids by ignoring them. Our teachers stressed the fact that kids can make a difference in situations like these. Being an Ally means speaking up!

The children brainstormed ways to stand up for their friends, then created speech bubbles. Specifically, these are scripts of what to say on the playground. The first graders also role played about what they learned and made cut-paper collages in art class.

An 8th grade student informed her 5th through 8th grade peers at their weekly Middle School Meeting that Facebook friends were encouraging people to wear purple on October 20. Purple represents Spirit on the LGBTQ flag and that’s what this youth wanted to promote at our school, spirit for all. Upon hearing this, another middle schooler realized that some students and faculty who may want to participate may not actually own an item of purple clothing. She was inspired to make purple ribbon pins which she then distributed on Wednesday, October 20.

Third Graders, while on a farm trip for the week, learned about the different colors on the LGBT flag and made purple wrist bands with construction paper to wear on October 20. While looking around the Farm for tape, one student said, “Why don’t we use the Ally Stickers instead of tape,” and the idea spread.

Our goal is simple, start the year reminding students, families and faculty of the importance of being an Ally. Start when they are young and remind them every year. The rest of the year, practice, practice, practice. One day, when they hear LGBT bullying or slurs, when someone they know (or don’t know) is being teased for who they are, we want our students to know what to do. For LREI students, taking action is a part of their learning. It’s a part of their life.

President Barack Obama has just issued a video message speaking directly to young people, offering reassurance and hope to those suffering because of their sexual orientation or gender identity, or simply because of being different. The President’s empathy and concern, so clearly and directly expressed, is an historic contribution to the outpouring of support for LGBT youth we have seen over the past few weeks.

We thank President Obama for this critical message. LGBT youth everywhere must hear his words loud and clear: “There are people out there who love you and care about you just the way you are.” We also appreciate the steps that the Administration has taken to address the needs of LGBT young people and reduce bullying and harassment through work done in various federal agencies, including the CDC and the Departments of Education, Justice, and Health and Human Services.

Now our attention will turn to those additional concrete ways in which the President himself has the power to make things better, for today and for the future. Sustained federal leadership on these issues is absolutely essential to reassert the fundamental culture of respect that must prevail in our schools. We need the President’s clear endorsement of the vital principles embodied in the Safe Schools Improvement Act and the Student Non-Discrimination Act. GLSEN will continue to work closely with the Administration to achieve this goal and to forge further progress at the agency level.

As the current crisis tragically illustrates, far too many school districts have not taken the actions needed to protect all students. And the tenor of public debate in this country stands in the way of effective local action and finding common ground. At times like these, on the difficult issues that really matter, Presidential leadership is paramount.

The President himself says in his message that, on an individual level, young people will find that their “differences are a source of pride and a source of strength,” and that, as a society, “the freedom to not fit in… to be true to ourselves, that’s the freedom that enriches all of us, that’s what America is all about.” These are exactly the ideals that are currently under siege. Whether it is from the schoolyard bully singling out a vulnerable classmate, or from a major-party candidate spewing anti-LGBT vitriol, the young people whom the President seeks to reach face a barrage of negative messages that can drive them to alienation and despair. They need his words, delivered now in this message, and they also need his actions.

Please take a moment to thank President Obama for recognizing the challenges that LGBT youth face.Below is a link to the White House web site and a sample message you can send to the President—feel free to incorporate a personal message.

Thank you for your recent message to America’s lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning youth. Through the power of your voice you are giving hope to many youth who may experience bullying, harassment and discrimination in their schools, homes or communities. I appreciate your strong support for LGBT youth and encourage you to continue to do as much as you can to help improve the lives of all youth.

>All during Ally Week we'll be highlighting stories about allies as part of the Ally Week story contest. The Yulee High School GSA submitted this message and public service announcement video about bullying, the product of a class project.

At Yulee High School in Yulee, Fl, the two-year-old GSA is sponsoring it's first Ally Week. When the word went out to the faculty about the event, TV Production teacher Ashely Guinn showed what having an Ally really means. Guinn divided her students into five groups and had each group create its own anti-bullying public service announcement video to be played for the whole school during morning announcements each day during Ally Week. This unsolicited action by a teacher Ally and her students captured the heart of what Ally Week is all about.

>All during Ally Week we'll be highlighting stories about allies as part of the Ally Week story contest. Claire from Bothell, WA, submitted this video about organizing a GSA in her school. If you have an Ally Week story you want to share, email us at info@allyweek.org.

>All during Ally Week we'll be highlighting stories about allies as part of the Ally Week story contest. Seventeen-year-old Adrien, a queer transmale student in Washburn, WI, has this story to tell about why allies are important to him. If you have an Ally Week story you want to share, email us at info@allyweek.org.

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I realize that the school I attend is probably on the safe side, but without the safety net of the students and faculty that support me, I have no idea where I would be. As a queer, transmale student in a rural high school in northern Wisconsin, I will stand on the rooftops to scream how important allies are to me. During the second semester of my freshman year in high school, I began further exploring my gender identity, transitioning slowly from female to genderqueer to male.

In the years that have followed, I have taught, simply through my existence, the students and staff surrounding me about the fluidity of gender. The journey has not been easy. My mom has been my biggest ally. She has been my backbone, my support group, my cheerleader, and sometimes, the one thing that keeps me pushing through. The encouragement my allies give me is phenomenal. Some days, the only thing that makes the journey easier is the people that continue to hold me up.

When my mom and I were lobbying in Washington, D.C. with GLSEN for the Safe School Advocacy Summit in March of 2009, we both wore GLSEN pins. Every representative that we talked to, my mother would point at her pin and say, “Straight is the heart of GLSEN.” Allies can help our voices be heard.

I have a couple things to say to you allies out there. First and foremost, remember this: while you support your LGBT friends, try to be as proactive as you can be. If you hear someone saying “that’s so gay,” don’t just let it go unnoticed. Being a bystander can sometimes be as bad as being the bully. But most importantly, I want to say thank you. Without your support, some of us have a hard time pushing through. I appreciate everything you do, and so does my mom.

>All during Ally Week we'll be highlighting stories about allies as part of the Ally Week story contest. Nowmee is a GLSEN Ambassador and made this fantastic video for Ally Week. Check it out! If you have an Ally Week story you want to share, email us at info@allyweek.org.

>We want to make sure that everyone knows about Ally Week, so we’re having an #AllyWeek Twitter Contest! The contest ends at 5:00 PM ET (2:00 PM PT) Friday, October 22. Five Winners will get an Ally Week T-shirt, wristband, and two great films you can show to your GSA: Brother Outsider and Out in the Silence!

Each time you tweet about Ally Week can get you closer to winning! Here are the rules!

All tweets must have the #AllyWeek hash tag to be counted.

Tweets that consist of only "#allyweek" and nothing else will only be accepted once an hour.

Example:dayofsilence: #allyweek #allyweek #allyweek = 1PT

Tweets containing Ally Week, not the number of times you mention Ally Week within your tweets.

Ally Week is almost here!

Ally Week, October 18-22, is a week for students to organize events that serve to identify, support and celebrate Allies to LGBT youth. Whether you’ve been planning for weeks or are just getting started now, there are plenty of things you can do for Ally Week!

MAKE SURE TO REGISTER your participation in Ally Week so we can have an accurate number of how many people participated. Click here to register!

Spread the word on Facebook! Change your status to one of the following:

I’m proud to be an Ally to LGBT youth! Celebrate Ally Week, Oct 18-22. Learn more at allyweek.org

Be an Ally. Be the Change. Celebrate Ally Week, Oct 18-22. Learn more at allyweek.org

Spread the word on Twitter! Tweet about your Ally Week experience using the #AllyWeek hash tag to spread the word! And see about the #AllyWeek Twitter Contest below!

Don’t have anything planned? You can still participate! Check out the Ally Week Action guide or 10 Things You Can Do for Ally Week, both available at AllyWeek.org/action.

Be visible! Yellow is the official AW color, so if everyone participating wears yellow you'll be sure to stand out. And don’t forget t-shirts, buttons, stickers, face-paint—these are all ways you can help draw attention to your action.

Be respectful! Ally Week is about ending anti-LGBT bullying and harassment in school. To do this, it's important to treat people with respect. There are likely people at your school who will try to challenge your activities or your beliefs. Treat these people not as they treat you but with the same respect you hope to be treated with. Remember, Ally Week is a peaceful action!

If you have any questions or ideas, or if you want to tell us what you’re planning for your Ally Week please email us at info@allyweek.org

New Ally Week Resource!

Ally Week, Oct 18-22, is coming soon and we keep rolling out NEW resources to help you plan effective action! And don't forget to register your participation in Ally Week. Click here to register!

Allied Clubs Meting Guide One of the best ways to increase the Allies at your school is by building coalitions with other student clubs. Strong alliances with other clubs and student groups can be instrumental in identifying a number of Allies of the LGBT safe-schools movement. This guide provides step-by-step instructions on how to have your own meeting to build a coalition of allied clubs in your school. Check it out right here.

And keep watching Twitter and Facebook for more up-to-date information about Ally Week!

>Back-to-school time conjures up images of bright yellow school buses, fresh pencils and notebooks, and green schoolyards to play in at recess. But this picturesque ideal ignores a sobering truth: America’s schools are not safe places for all students. According to GLSEN’s 2009 National School Climate Survey, 61.1% of LGBT students felt unsafe at school because of their sexual orientation and nearly one in five were physically assaulted (e.g., punched, kicked, injured with a weapon) because of their sexual orientation.

Tragic events in recent weeks remind us that there is so much work left to do in order to make schools safe and affirming places for all students. October 5th is National Safe Schools Day – an opportunity to spread awareness of the situation of our schools and work together to change the school environments that fail to protect our youth.

Across the country today – from Michigan to Massachusetts, from California to Arkansas – activists are organizing a variety of events to champion this important cause. The Safe Schools Action Network is hosting a rallies in various cities, including Washington, DC, to support local safe schools campaigns.

Can't be in our nation’s capital for the rally? There’s plenty of work you can do in your own community! Check out GLSEN’s guide on making a positive difference in the wake of multiple tragedies across the country in the past few weeks.

Celebrate National Safe Schools Day on October 5th by taking action to make America’s schools respectful, affirming, and safe places for all students.